Sunday, July 31, 2016

Good to see so many of Johnny's PAD favorites even if it was in the rain today. And then more rain. And more rain. By the time Johnny was done eating great Polish food and chatting up some of the artists today his dire wolf took three hours to dry out.

Saturday, July 30, 2016

Friday, July 29, 2016

Mankind usually finds a way after the fact of finding out Albert Einstein was right all along. Johnny was going over some old notes today and remembered that Einstein surmised black holes existed and how they would act and he was correct. Sucking everything into an area so dense not even light can escape. Einstein also said there would be white holes that would spew everything out including copious amounts of light and those should be able to be detected by our satellites and probes.

A tribute to all the convention hats worn over the last two weeks. Johnny still gets a kick out of those. Here's David Bowie and 'Fashion' for all you conventioneers with hats piled up high like a haystack.

Thursday, July 28, 2016

Given my background, I've often encouraged business leaders to run for office because many of them share that same pragmatic approach to building consensus, but not all. Most of us who have created a business know that we're only as good as the way our employees, clients, and partners view us. Most of us don't pretend that we're smart enough to make every big decision by ourselves. And most of us who have our names on the door know that we're only as good as our word. But not Donald Trump.

Throughout his career, Trump has left behind a well-documented record of bankruptcies, thousands of lawsuits, angry shareholders, and contractors who feel cheated, and disillusioned customers who feel ripped off. Trump says he wants to run the nation like he's run his business. God help us.

I'm a New Yorker, and New Yorkers know a con when we see one! Trump says he'll punish manufacturers that move to Mexico or China, but the clothes he sells are made overseas in low-wage factories. He says he wants to put Americans back to work, but he games the US visa system so he can hire temporary foreign workers at low wages. He says he wants to deport 11 million undocumented people, but he seems to have no problem in hiring them. What'd I miss here?!
-- Michael Bloomberg tonight at the DNC Convention

It's like when the bully finally gets his ass kicked. Johnny will bet Trump was tied down by staff feeding him Xanax as he rants at John Kasich for not going to his states convention in Cleveland and leaving that available to Tim Kaine to batter him with. Michael Bloomberg pulled Trump into an alley and took his lunch money tonight. Like Terrence McDonald of the Jersey Journal tweeted tonight, tomorrow's Trump press conference should be a dandy. Wonder how he'll answer for asking for a foreign nation to commit espionage so he can win an election. That's treason. And a violation of the Logan Act.

Wynans started painting the mural before Memorial Day. On his final day, he told the National Coalition Against Censorship in an interview posted online Friday, he was approached by a man named Paul who asked if his company could get a shout out on the mural. Wynans said he told him no, then said he received a call from Hansson asking if "we can incorporate Charles & Co. on the board." Charles & Co. is the latest residential development from the Silverman brothers, located across the street from City Hall.

Paul Silverman (Snivelman?) it sounds like ran like a bitch to city hall and cried to Hansson or Fulop and then yeah, Hansson according to the artist came directly to him to try and get the mayor's friend some FREE advertising in a city art program.

Hansson is not someone who has shown she's up to this task. It would appear though because she's willing to do the mayor's asks she keeps her job.

This may well have been the screeching end to the program many artists in Jersey City fear because what top level artist is going to come to Jersey City and do a mural when the city may well demand it be changed or have a donor of the mayor's added at the last minute, but don't take it from Johnny:

"I can't imagine most serious artists are going to accept the potential that the city can sort of step in and alter things based on whims or a couple of complaints," said Hrag Vartanian, co-founder and editor in chief of art site Hyperallergic. "It's sort of sad and it tells me that a place like Jersey City isn't ready for serious art in a public forum."

The mural program is a really great idea but the people running it are in over their heads. A full change at the top of the program on Jersey City's end is necessary.

THAT is how you run a night of a convention. Michelle Obama, a speech for the ages. Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker and Bernie Sanders. Better than a night with Chachi huh? All we get the next two nights are the Big Dog, Bill Clinton tomorrow, and incumbent President Barack Obama, both pretty good speechifiers and better than a Duck Dynasty guy.

Sunday, July 24, 2016

Well well well, the short-lived victory NYCFC had over the Red Bulls earlier this month proved to the the outlier as the Red Bull thrashed their cross-Hudson River rivals 4-1 today in Harrison. The South Ward was in fine form taunting NYCFC and their Third Rail fandom when, during a mandatory hydration break on a sweltering day, sang 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame" for their Yankee Stadium rivals.

This makes it five wins in six matches for the Red Bulls vs NYCFC over two seasons.

Five of the 17 injured passengers were transported to Christ Hospital and the other 12 people were taken to Jersey City Medical Center, according to Morrill.None of the injuries were serious, Coast Guard spokesman Petty Officer Steve Strohmaier told NJ Advance Media. The crash occurred around 7:20 p.m.
Here's hoping everyone makes a recovery in time for brunch tomorrow. Bacon tastes good.

This is Johnny just being a Mr. Helper, something he normally despises, but if you kids are going to ride your fancy GS scooters and motorcycles all around, as you ride even if it's a great song like this one, don't open your mouth so wide like Michael Hutchence here.

Bugs get in.

INXS and a GREAT song kicking things off tonight, before MTV fucked them all up, here's 'Original Sin'

Well Billy, lots of things. The mood, is it part of a theme, what kind of message is our host trying to set, et al. Mostly though it needs to be a hot track by an artist who Johnny likes which brings us to 'Seven Devils' by Florence & the Machine.

Friday, July 22, 2016

Here's wishing Aerosmith lead guitarist Joe Perry a speedy and full recovery from his collapse the other night. Oh if Johnny had a nickel for every time he and his best friend growing up Roger played this album...he'd have a couple bucks easy.

'Toys in the Attic' from the album of the same name sending you on your way tonight.

Chris Christie, funny speech, You kept referring to Hillary being guilty of something yet only ONE of you is currently under federal investigation and somebody's BFF just got sentenced to jail. Any guesses as to whom?
Fuck off, Lumpy.

Mayor Fulop submitted his latest budget and for the 3rd straight year this growing city will have no tax increases. We're adding cops, giving hundreds of millions in new abatements, giving loans to developers and that's before the reval, and Jersey City is still an Abbot District city.

Even a Spendy McSpendface children's character would have to realize the ride stops sometime. The time to sock money away is now. Johnny is president of a local board. That board, now that there are no emergencies and things are going well, are still collecting for that rainy day when it comes. Collect the money and invest it back smartly. The day is quickly approaching that this city will need some fall back money and the time to collect that is now while things are supposedly good and can be done in small doses.

What is we need another surge in cops? What if the roof over part of the PATH falls in somewhere, sure it's PA but you'd better have money and a plan. What if winter causes plow trucks to double planned overtime. All things even a nominal increase could be used for.

Always nice when we can reference the Sunday paper and all so here is a very thoughtful and informative letter pointing out where the city council and mayor are giving away your money in the form of really unnecessary 20 and 30 year tax abatements they are giving them STILL based on the 1988 reval. Ruinous!Read on friends.

Friday, July 15, 2016

Welcome to our first Smoke 'em if ya got 'em night, a trip back in time to those halcyon days of drinking Michelob and smoking somebody else's weed. Whether that music was coming out of a wood-paneled speaker system in a friend's basement or a new Pioneer car stereo system or even an old AC DELCO AM radio in mom's Mercury Comet, these songs got you through.

Starting things off tonight it's one of the first songs Johnny ever remembers hearing at a party, 'Pigs (Three Different Ones)' and yes, after the joint was passed in Darv's basement (His name was Dave but called himself Darv, he had weed, what can you do?) Johnny had a relationship with songs like this.

We all had that guy in high school who had an older brother who always had, in retrospect, some really really awful weed. But being a teenager in Ortonville Michigan you hung out with Phil. If you were in Phil's basement, chances are you've heard this song, Red Rider and 'Lunatic Fringe'

Thursday, July 14, 2016

The Fulop believers, the true, 'we have a young hip mayor and as part of this aspirational without sacrifice generation, we'll overlook basic math'. Fulop supporters in real life and online now argue a 30 year abatement on undeveloped land is proper because it wasn't making any money before so it'll bring in $$ amount now. True.

Now here's the part they willfully ignore, another 30 year abatement will cost SSS.

You might as well have taken a bag of $ and buried it in the property never to be opened again. At least the mayor's true believers could play PokemonGo around it.

Local real estate pest Jared Kushner, son-in-law of GOP nominee Donald Trump is said to be very much against our failed governor as Trump's VP pick but not because Christie is a floundering mess, but because Christie actually did his job and did it well in 2004. Christie was a US Attorney back then and followed the law and the illegalities of Kushner's father Charles, a real sleazebag as it turns out and landed Kushner Sr in the clink. What did Christie catch the KRE maven doing you ask (since Jersey City has given so much to this family in abatements it does matter, know who you do business with) as he prosecuted the case?

In 2004, Christie as U.S. attorney for New Jersey prosecuted the government's case against Kushner's father, Charles Kushner, the real estate executive, philanthropist and political donor. The elder Kushner pleaded guilty in federal court to 18 felonies, including making illegal campaign contributions and evading taxes.
Nice right? Wait, it gets more desperate for Kushner:

The elder Kushner was also convicted of witness tampering after he hired a prostitute to seduce his sister's husband, who was cooperating the the federal government's case against him, and sent a videotape of the encounter to her.

So daddy got two years and Jared doesn't want Christie as the VP. Huh, wonder why...

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Ah, the rallying cry for so many guys and gals like Johnny back in the late 70's and tonight is the anniversary our talisman in the fight against disco said no more. WLUP radio jock Steve Dahl (who Johnny has met a couple times) blowed up a whole bunch of disco records at Chicago's Comiskey Park between games of a doubleheader with Detroit...A LOT of disco records which inspired a lot of the crowd to charge the field, start fires, climb the foul poles and come roaring in from outside once things got out of control.

Tonight here is a magnificent oral history of the Disco Demolition, which was originally called 'Teen Night' from Steve Dahl, the White Sox organization, police and fans who were there that infamous night. A night you'll come to see might well have been the best baseball promotion in history; The White Sox were drawing about 18,000 fans a game in a stadium that seated 45,000.

Johnny has never made any bones about his distaste for a casino anywhere near Jersey City. We pay, the owners get rich and get our money even if we don't go to the casino in the form of abatements. Well, to that voting end of things, a new Farleigh Dickinson Public Mind poll shows 57% opposed to a casino opening via ballot box in North Jersey. Only 35% approve of a casino up north.

Saturday, July 9, 2016

I want to hang a map of the world in my house, and then I’m gonna put pins into all the locations that I’ve traveled to. But first I’m gonna have to travel to the top two corners of the map, so it won’t fall down.
-- Mitch Hedberg

...That Donald Trump will at some point next week name Mr. Nine Credit Downgrades On His Watch Chris Christie as his GOP running mate. Yes, nine credit downgrades for the state of NJ and the guy who helped bankrupt Atlantic City on one ticket.

You can't ever have enough music. When in doubt you can play music or punt (unless you're Michigan). Aretha Franklin and a song Johnny has always loved sending us off into this hot summer night. Aretha and ''I Say a Little Prayer'

Friday, July 8, 2016

Well, Game of Thrones has pretty much become real life in America over the last couple weeks and that's goddamned depressing so Johnny is turning to music as people so often have for tragic events to brighten the mood. Music can be a great healer for a lot of different reasons, so tonight that's what we're after. No Cure, No Doors, no Alanis, no Pink Floyd mmmmmkay?

If one really wants to get people singing a pointless song with pointless lyrics that are simply fun to sing, let's turn to Liz Phair (with Material Issue) and her cover of the Saturday morning TeeVee show 'The Banana Splits' a show Johnny watched as a kid. It was like an acid trip to a furry convention every Saturday morning with mini bikes and rock music.

Hippie Furries. Let that sink in. Every animal smells like patchouli and weed. You can get high on fumes just scritching.

Getting us off on a happy note, take it away Liz Phair, tra la la, la la la la...

Some more uplifting music with an upbeat kind of theme straight outta Johnny's Detroit City with the Four Tops and 'Reach Out (I'll Be There)' batting second tonight.

What a great live version. Have some fun with this, for the next three minutes nineteen, move your furniture back, sing like you haven't in a while and pretend you're backing up Levi Stubbs on this one.

If your idea of making things right is becoming a sniper and murdering police officers then you're pretty fucked in the head and if it had to happen in any state, trust Johnny, Texas will make your life miserable until your pathetic and unremarkable end comes. If you think shooting cops is OK, just go crawl off and die, you're already a waste of a human life.

If you're a cop somewhere who is too fucking scared of African Americans and other minorities that you're that hair-triggered at all times when dealing with minorities, fuck you, go find another job. You're not a good cop put in a bad situation, you're a danger to the community paying your dumb ass. If you think beating and choking and abusing minorities is your best first move because the police union and local prosecutor will have your back, fuck you, you're a disgrace to the badge.

Thursday, July 7, 2016

Rodney Dangerfield would have appreciated Johnny's life tonight. Watching a show on black holes Johnny tried to explain to his wife that gravity in black holes can bend light and even change time. She asked how that was possible. Johnny explained to her suppose two people are born on the exact same day at the exact same time on the 50th floor of the World Trade Center. That day one goes to live at the top of the building and the other goes to live at the bottom. Should they die at the exact same time on the same day the person who lived on the ground floor their entire life would be milliseconds younger than the one who lived their life in the penthouse.

Why? Gravity slows time closer to said gravity.

She told him he had an empty Diet Snapple box that needed to go out to recycling.

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Mid 90's today kids with a heat index into the 100's. Same for tomorrow and Friday. Let's take care to look in on those most vulnerable during this heat wave. If you have any at-risk seniors in your life PLEASE let them know about community cooling centers and the like. Fans can do a lot but sometimes more help is necessary for a few days. Also, please take care of any animals you can help in this heat. Lots of water for your outdoor pets and please consider bringing them inside. Johnny goes around at night sometimes in his neighborhood putting out big metal water dishes for stray animals on these super hot days. We're not saying you have to do the same thing but let's be conscious of our animal friends shall we?

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Every so often Johnny has to go all Ser Gregor Clegane on someone and tonight before bed it's Direct TV.

So, Direct TV, what the FUCK? Johnny used to like Jon Bon Jovi, then you started running those ads every three out of five slots during every break at the Copa America and Euros 2016. That had risen to the level of really annoying. Now you've got Bon Jovi signing about dead fucking grandpas you wish you could turn the hands of time back to say goodbye to? WTF is that? Yeah, I was missing my grandpa today and it really emphasized how much I hate Comcast. In olden times Johnny would just have the people who wrote the ad brought before him and tortured while he played Angry Birds on his iPhone but that's not how we do things now. Now you have to point out online that even if Direct TV was Johnny's last pay television option he'd go buy some of those bunny ears and get regular teevee. What the hell is wrong with you people?
Time for Jersey City, After Dark

America should give free lesson on how to declare independence from England after this year's Brexit stupidity. Happy Independence Day to us and hopefully it spreads to whomever wants democracy (or some de-facto form therein)!

Saturday, July 2, 2016

You've no doubt heard the invented faux outrage at certain parts of the Monopoly styled art piece on Newark Ave. The police, professional groups who exist to bring up faux outrage, and the city have all decided they needed a say in someone else's artwork. The reactions by the police was all too predictable, the professionally outraged need to ask why they immediately see shade where they should be learning about the artists intent, not that it even mattered in this case, or ever does with groups like this one. Their own publicity is something they always manage to see in a good light. Invent an outrage du jour and get your name out there.

Go read, Dan Levin also pointed out on Twitter how the city insisted on an advertisement in the mural, despite the artist's wishes. The Fulop Administration has now managed to screw up even the mural program.

Friday, July 1, 2016

If you're going to kick off a 3-day Fourth of July weekend you're gonna do it right. The song will have to sound great around a BBQ, a pool, a lake, a baseball game, you name it, it's gotta be aces. To that end we're even throwing in a fourth song tonight in honor of the Fourth of July!

First though, a real party starter, heck it's almost the name of the song; Wanda Jackson with 'Let's Have a Party'

It is said if you stare into the image in the video, and you're a hippie, you can see the treasure map to the lost treasure of Wavy Gravy. One can only imagine what hippie treasure would amount to, some patchouli smelling, well, everything, a few roach clips with feathers on them, dreamcatchers, some really bad clothing that might make you ask "who shot the drapes" and old homemade granola bars. But the hippies did make some great music, like this one, 'Somebody to Love' by the Jefferson Airplane that while it doesn't make up for the other stuff hippies did, still would sound great at any 4th of July event.

Johnny asked himself, would this song sound good around a BBQ or a campfire roasting marshmallows for America.? Hell yes was the quick reply. from the peanut gallery that is his brain. The Cars and 'Double Life' from 1979.